A humpback whale has been captured on film protecting a snorkeller from a tiger shark in the waters off Rarotonga, Cook Islands. The remarkable footage shows the 50,000-pound male nudging marine biologist Nan Hauser with its head and mouth before tucking her under its pectoral fin.
Ms Hauser, 63, said she initially did not see the 15-foot tiger shark lurking nearby. The whale repeatedly pushed her through the water for over ten minutes, even hoisting her out of the water at one point. A second whale was also seen tail-slapping to drive the shark away.
“I wasn’t sure what the whale was up to when he approached me,” Ms Hauser said. “I’ve spent 28 years underwater with whales and have never had one so tactile and insistent on putting me on his head, belly, back, or trying to tuck me under his fin.” She admitted she feared the encounter could be deadly but tried to stay calm.
Once she spotted the shark, Ms Hauser realised the whale’s behaviour was protective. After she returned to her vessel, the whale surfaced to monitor her wellbeing. Ms Hauser believes this demonstrates an instinctive drive to protect other species, a phenomenon never before documented on film involving humans and humpback whales.
Dolphins have been known to exhibit similar protective behaviour, but scientists have not previously recorded humpbacks protecting humans. The incident took place in October and was captured by a nearby cameraman who was unaware of the extraordinary nature of the interaction.
